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Man: TALKING UFC 170,
SATURDAY NIGHT, FEBRUARY 22nd
AT THE MANDALAY BAY IN LAS VEGAS
SITTING NEXT TO ME -- D.C., DANIEL CORMIER.
DANIEL, HOW YOU DOING, MY MAN?
Cormier: DOING PRETTY GOOD, MAN.
JUST TO BE FIGHTING ON THE SAME CARD AS TWO GIRLS
THAT I WENT TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES WITH --
RONDA AND I TWICE --
YEAH, IT'S A BIG DEAL.
YOU CAN SAY, "WELL, I WRESTLED IN THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP."
WELL, YOU DIDN'T WRESTLE IN THE OLYMPICS.
NOT MANY PEOPLE GOT TO DO THAT.
OBVIOUSLY, A LOT HAS BEEN MADE OF YOUR WEIGHT CUT.
Deejay: YOU'RE CHANGING WEIGHT CLASSES, RIGHT?
YES, I AM. I'VE BEEN FIGHTING AT HEAVYWEIGHT.
NOW I WANT TO FIGHT AT A WEIGHT THAT'S MORE NATURAL FOR MY BODY.
DANIEL CORMIER, YOU'RE FIGHTING "SUGA" RASHAD EVANS.
YEP.
10 DAYS BEFORE THIS FIGHT,
RASHAD EVANS POPS HIS KNEE.
Woman: RASHAD EVANS IS INJURED AND HAS TO PULL OUT OF UFC 170.
I HEAR ABOUT THIS KID PATRICK CUMMINS
WHO WAS CLAIMING THAT, WHEN HE WOULD TRAIN WITH CORMIER,
HE WOULD MAKE CORMIER CRY.
THIS GUY'S WORKING IN A COFFEE SHOP.
AND I SAID, "YOU CAN TELL YOUR MANAGER YOU'RE ALL SET.
YOU'RE FIGHTING IN THE UFC NOW."
IS THERE A TRUTH TO YOU MAKING HIM CRY?
YEAH. ABSOLUTELY.
YOU'VE COMPLETELY PUT YOURSELF IN MY CROSS-HAIRS.
NOW, YOU'RE GONNA SUFFER FOR YOUR WORDS.
THE BIGGEST MISTAKE
IN HIS ENTIRE LIFE.
LIFE IS ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES.
HE JUMPED ON IT.
THIS IS THE FAST TRACK.
THERE'S NOTHING BETTER.
White: WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN?
WE NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
MMA IS CRAZY. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.
Cormier: COME OUT AND WATCH THE FIGHTS.
I PROMISE YOU WE'RE GONNA PUT ON A GOOD SHOW,
AND WHO DOESN'T WANT TO GO TO VEGAS?
Narrator: WHILE PATRICK CUMMINS JUMPED AT HIS FIRST OPPORTUNITY
TO FIGHT ON THE BIG STAGE...
NOT EVERY UNSEASONED FIGHTER
TO DO SO.
TWO YEARS INTO DANIEL CORMIER'S MMA CAREER,
HIS MANAGEMENT APPROACHED HIM
ABOUT ENTERING THE STRIKEFORCE HEAVYWEIGHT GRAND PRIX,
AND HE HAD A DIFFERENT REACTION ENTIRELY.
THEY STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS TOURNAMENT.
FEDOR, "BIGFOOT," OVEREEM, WERDUM, JOSH BARNETT,
AND I JUST HAD MY FINGERS CROSSED.
I WAS LIKE, "PLEASE DON'T TRY TO PUT ME IN THE TOURNAMENT."
THEY WERE LIKE, "WELL, YOU'RE GONNA BE AN ALTERNATE."
I WAS LIKE, "I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I WANT TO BE AN ALTERNATE."
I MEAN, BIG OL' HULKING GUYS. I'M 5'10", YOU KNOW.
AND THEY CALLED ME
FIVE WEEKS NOTICE TO FIGHT "BIGFOOT" SILVA IN CINCINNATI.
I WAS LIKE, "YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME."
U.S. OLYMPIAN DANIEL CORMIER!
Cormier: WHEN I FOUGHT BIGFOOT SILVA,
I HADN'T EVEN HAD A FIGHT IN TWO YEARS.
IT WAS SHORT OF MY TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY IN MMA
WHEN I WAS STANDING ACROSS THE CAGE AGAINST BIGFOOT,
WHO HAD JUST BEAT FEDOR.
WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO THIS TIME?
Goldberg: LOOK HOW BIG SILVA'S HANDS ARE COMPARED TO CORMIER'S.
MY GOODNESS.
I WAS NERVOUS, AND THEN WHEN WE STARTED FIGHTING,
I WAS LIKE, "MAN, I BELONG AT THIS LEVEL."
Rogan: WOW! CORMIER TAGS SILVA WITH THE RIGHT HAND!
Goldberg: THIS KID IS DANGEROUS FOR EVERYBODY!
JAB FROM CORMIER!
OH, MY GOD! DOWN GOES SILVA!
CORMIER HAS DONE IT!
CORMIER MAKES IT TO THE FINAL!
McKinnell: A GUY LIKE BIGFOOT SILVA IS A GUY THAT YOU JUST DON'T WALK IN
AND BEAT IN THE FIRST ROUND,
THAT CORMIER DID.
GRAND PRIX HERE IN SAN JOSE.
FOR ALL THE MARBLES.
BOY, NO FEELING-OUT PROCESS.
ARE GOING RIGHT AT IT!
TO GO IN FOR THE KILL!
LIKE HE WAS A RAG DOLL.
Man: AND A FLAT TAKEDOWN BY CORMIER!
I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE EVER SEEN BARNETT'S FACE
LOOK LIKE IT DOES RIGHT NOW.
HE IS NOW THE STRIKEFORCE HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX
TOURNAMENT CHAMPION, DANIEL CORMIER!
Cormier: AFTER I WON THAT TOURNAMENT, MAN,
IT JUST SEEMED LIKE EVERYTHING KIND OF JUST CHANGED,
AND EVER SINCE, IT'S KIND OF BEEN NO TURNING BACK.
YOU CAN'T GO BACKWARDS
AFTER YOU FIGHT JOSH BARNETT AND BIGFOOT SILVA.
Keefer: DANIEL CORMIER COMES INTO THE UFC
AWAY HOW IT'S GONNA PLAY OUT,
WHO HE'S GONNA FACE.
CORMIER MADE HIS DEBUT AGAINST FRANK MIR,
FORMER UFC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION, LONGTIME VETERAN,
ONE OF THE REAL GREATS OF THE SPORT.
Cormier: THE UFC RESPECTS WHAT I HAVE DONE IN STRIKEFORCE.
IT CARRIES WATER.
YOU DON'T GET THOSE TYPES OF FIGHTS.
YOU DON'T GET TO STAND ACROSS THE CAGE FROM FRANK MIR,
A GUY THAT WAS A TWO-TIME CHAMPION,
MOST WINS IN HEAVYWEIGHT HISTORY.
YOU HAVE TO EARN THOSE FIGHTS.
FRANK MIR.
IN BETTER SHAPE,
HE'S NEVER BEEN MORE FOCUSED
THAN HE IS RIGHT NOW.
HERE WE GO.
GOOD PUNCHES BY DANIEL. GOOD COMBINATION BY CORMIER.
SO EXPLOSIVE, AND THE PACE AND PRESSURE HE KEEPS RIGHT HERE
IS WHAT HAS MADE HIM SUCCESSFUL.
McKinnell: DANIEL CORMIER PRETTY MUCH HAS HIS WAY WITH FRANK MIR,
OUT-BOXES HIM, REALLY JUST BEAT HIM IN EVERY AREA,
AND HE DID THE SAME THING WITH ROY NELSON.
SWING AND A MISS.
TO ANYBODY HE WANTS.
NICE KNEE TO THE BODY.
AND THE BIG RIGHT HAND.
OH, LEFT HAND!
AND A NICE COMBINATION.
NICE FRONT KICK.
Morgan: IN MY OPINION, DANIEL CORMIER
IS THE NUMBER-TWO HEAVYWEIGHT IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW,
TO MOVE DOWN TO 205 POUNDS.
Botter: HERE'S THE THING ABOUT DANIEL CORMIER --
HE'S ALWAYS BEEN AN UNDERSIZED HEAVYWEIGHT.
DANIEL CORMIER WAS A LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT IN A HEAVYWEIGHT'S BODY,
FIGHTING GUYS WHO WERE MUCH BIGGER THAN HIM.
Keefer: DANIEL CORMIER IS DROPPING DOWN TO 205,
AS HE OFTEN SAID HE WOULD,
THE BELT AT HEAVYWEIGHT.
Morgan: DANIEL CORMIER TRAINS ALONGSIDE
UFC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION CAIN VELASQUEZ.
THOSE TWO HAVE BUILT A VERY SPECIAL BOND IN THEIR TIME TOGETHER.
McKinnell: AND AS IT BECOMES MORE EVIDENT THAT CAIN VELASQUEZ
THAT THRONE,
FOR THE DECISION TO BE MADE.
Cormier: MY CHANCE TO BE A CHAMPION IS AT 205.
I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT CAIN.
WITH HIM BEING HURT RIGHT NOW,
IT'S TOUGH ON ME BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE MY MAIN PARTNER,
BUT HE COMES HERE TO GIVE MORAL SUPPORT.
HE'S A GREAT FRIEND AND GREAT ASSET.
A LOT OF MY SUCCESS IS DIRECTLY BECAUSE OF HIM,
BECAUSE EVERY DAY -- IF I DIDN'T GET BETTER,
HE WOULD JUST MOW RIGHT THROUGH ME.
MOST DAYS I'D HAVE TO CRAWL OUT OF THE CAGE OR THE RING.
BECAUSE OF THAT, HE HELPED ME,
AND NOW MY SKILLS MATCH WHERE I AM MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY.
IT'S TIME TO ACTUALLY TAKE ON THAT PART OF MMA,
AND I'M READY FOR IT.
Narrator: AFTER SHOWING TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL
AT HEAVYWEIGHT IN THE UFC,
DANIEL CORMIER DECIDED TO MAKE THE CUT TO 205 POUNDS,
THE WEIGHT DIVISION
WHERE HE FELT HE HAD THE BEST CHANCE TO BE CHAMPION.
CORMIER WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED
TO FIGHT NUMBER-3 CONTENDER RASHAD EVANS,
AND WITH A WIN,
HE COULD FAST-TRACK HIS WAY TO A TITLE SHOT.
FOR DANIEL CORMIER.
DANIEL CORMIER
IS DROPPING DOWN TO 205 POUNDS.
THE CUT HAS GONE UNBELIEVABLE.
HIS TRAINING IS UNBELIEVABLE. HE FEELS GREAT.
HE'S IN THE BEST SHAPE HE'S EVER BEEN IN.
10 DAYS BEFORE THIS FIGHT, RASHAD EVANS IS TRAINING.
RASHAD'S FOOT GETS CAUGHT IN THE MAT,
TWISTS HIS FOOT JUST THE RIGHT WAY, AND POPS HIS KNEE.
GONNA DO ALL THIS WORK, DIET,
FOR NOTHING.
HE WAS CALLING ME ALL NIGHT, SAYING, "GET ME A FIGHT.
GET ME A FIGHT. GET ME A FIGHT."
I SAID, "LISTEN, DANIEL,
NOBODY'S GONNA FIGHT YOU ON 10 DAYS' NOTICE."
I WAKE UP THE NEXT DAY,
AND APPARENTLY, THIS TWITTER BATTLE
AND PATRICK CUMMINS.
PATRICK CUMMINS, PAT.
HE WAS ONE OF MY TRAINING PARTNERS
WHEN I WAS GETTING READY FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES IN 2004.
SO, THIS KID WAS A 2-TIME NCAA ALL-AMERICAN -- IMPRESSIVE.
BUT WHAT'S EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE IS, HE WAS A WALK-ON.
AND HE CLAIMS THAT, WHEN HE WOULD WRESTLE WITH CORMIER,
HE WOULD MAKE CORMIER CRY.
Cummins: THEY PUT US TOGETHER IN SIMULATION MATCHES.
[ CHUCKLES ]
THROW HIM FOR FIVE IS, YOU KNOW,
BASICALLY, YOU'RE THROWING HIS HIPS OVER HIS HEAD.
SO... [ CHUCKLES ]
I HEAR THIS [SNIFFLES] IN MY EAR.
AND I'M LIKE, "WHAT'S GOING ON, MAN?
WHAT'S -- WHAT'S -- WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW?"
AND, YOU KNOW, THEN WE KIND OF -- WE BREAK,
AND WE COME BACK, AND I SEE HIS FACE, CRYING.
YOU KNOW, I'M LIKE, "THIS DUDE'S CRYING RIGHT NOW.
WHAT THE HELL?" [ LAUGHS ]
I'M INTRIGUED, SO I CALL HIS MANAGER.
HIS MANAGER SAYS, "HE'S WORKING RIGHT NOW.
"YOU CAN'T GET AHOLD OF HIM.
I'LL CALL YOU BACK IN A FEW MINUTES."
I GOT A JOB AT A COFFEE SHOP DOWN THE STREET.
AROUND 8:00, 8:30, I GET -- I GET A COUPLE OF CALLS.
YOU KNOW, I FEEL MY PHONE VIBRATING IN MY POCKET.
I'M LIKE, "MAN."
HE WAS WORKING.
ON THE PHONE.
HE WAS BUSY WITH CUSTOMERS.
AND HOPPED OUT,
WENT IN THE FRONT -- FRONT OF THE COFFEE SHOP.
AND HE'S AT THE BACK WINDOW, AND HIS MANAGERS WOULDN'T GET HIM.
SO I WALKED AROUND OUTSIDE TO THE WINDOW.
HE WAS WITH A CUSTOMER.
I SAID, "HEY, YOU GOT TO GET ON THE PHONE RIGHT NOW.
YOU NEED TO TELL ME RIGHT NOW -- DO YOU WANT THIS FIGHT?"
I KIND OF LOOK AT MY BOSS.
AND I'M LIKE, "I GOT TO -- I GOT TO DO THIS," YOU KNOW?
AND SHE'S LIKE, "OKAY.
WELL, THIS IS THE END OF THE JOB, YOU KNOW?"
White: SO, HE GETS ON THE PHONE.
HE BASICALLY SAYS, "AM I GONNA GET THIS FIGHT?
BECAUSE I JUST GOT FIRED."
AND I SAID, "YOU CAN TELL YOUR MANAGER YOU'RE ALL SET, OKAY?
"YOU'RE DONE.
YOU'RE FIGHTING IN THE UFC NOW."
Man: SWITCH!
Cummins: AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS MY DREAM.
I'VE BEEN DEVOTING MY LIFE TO THIS...
...WITH JUST ONE GOAL IN MIND --
TO BE THE BEST 205er IN THE WORLD.
AND THIS IS THE FAST TRACK, AND THERE'S NOTHING BETTER.
IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR,
YOU CAN TELL BY THE WAY A GUY WALKS IN THE GYM
IF HE'S GONNA BE GOOD.
RIGHT AWAY, I KNEW HE WAS SPECIAL.
HE HAS PASSED EVERY SINGLE TEST
THAT HAS BEEN PUT IN FRONT OF HIM.
ALL YOUR HARD WORK --
ACTUALLY PAID OFF...
...TO THIS POINT NOW.
BUT YOU STAYED DISCIPLINED AND DILIGENT... YEAH, YEAH.
AND DEDICATED TO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
White: THIS KID CUMMINS COMES OUT OF THE CAMP --
YOU KNOW, HE TRAINS WITH MUÑOZ. HE TRAINS WITH CHAEL SONNEN.
THIS GUY'S TRAINED WITH ALL THE BEST IN THE WORLD.
HE CAN BEAT A CHAMPION AT 205.
THAT'S UNBELIEVABLE.
BOTH OF THESE GUYS.
I AM CONFIDENT IN HIS ABILITY.
I'M CONFIDENT IN HIS STYLE.
DANIEL A RUN FOR HIS MONEY.
A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.
WE DID MMA,
A LOT OF GYMNASTICS.
AAH!
Sonnen: HE'S VERY COORDINATED.
HE'S VERY AGILE, PARTICULARLY FOR A GUY HIS SIZE.
BIG PEOPLE HIS SIZE JUST DON'T DO GYMNASTICS.
HE'S A VERY SPECIAL ATHLETE.
HE'S ALSO GOT A GREAT GAS TANK.
AND HIS DAY OFF, HIS RECOVERY DAY,
IS A FOUR-HOUR MOUNTAIN-BIKE RIDE.
HIS FAVORITE PART OF MOUNTAIN BIKING IS THE CLIMB,
NOT THE DESCENT.
Cummins: GOOD.
GOOD.
White: HE'S OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, A VERY GIFTED ATHLETE.
HE'S UNDEFEATED IN MIXED MARTIAL ARTS.
HE'S 4-0, AND EVERY ONE OF HIS 4 FIGHTS WERE FINISHES.
HE'S THERE TO BREAK PEOPLE,
TO PUSH PEOPLE SO FAR OUT OF THEIR COMFORT ZONE
THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO BE IN THERE ANYMORE.
Man #2: YEAH!
SEALS IN FRESHNESS,
AND GETS THE TAP.
FIRST-ROUND FINISH.
BEAUTIFUL WORK -- A LOT OF POWER IN THAT CHOKE.
Parsons: THE MORE FIGHTS THAT HE WON,
THE LESS PEOPLE WERE WILLING TO FIGHT HIM.
AND ULTIMATELY, WE JUST STARTED TO GO THROUGH PROSPECT LISTS,
AND EVERYONE WOULD TURN HIM DOWN.
WE HAD OVER 50 OPPONENTS TURN HIM DOWN.
HEY! THAT'S IT.
Muñoz: HE'S GONE AND REPORTED,
AND THE GUY'S LIKE, "OH, NO. I'M NOT FIGHTING HIM."
[ Chuckling ] I MEAN, IT'S GOTTEN -- IT WAS THAT BAD.
Parsons: HE'S GOT A GYM REPUTATION.
HE'S TRAINED AT ATT AND BLACKZILIANS,
AND HE'S RESPECTED IN THE GYM.
AND I THINK THAT HIS REPUTATION PRECEDES HIM.
Cummins: THEY LOOK AT THE FIGHT, AND THEY'RE LIKE,
"WELL, I DON'T THINK THIS IS A SMART FIGHT FOR ME
"BECAUSE I'M NOT MAKING ANY MONEY,
"AND TO FIGHT THIS CALIBER OF GUY,
YOU KNOW, IT SHOULD BE IN A BIG ARENA."
SO, IT'S TOUGH, BUT I NEED THE FIGHTS.
Sonnen: HE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM THAT CAIN VELASQUEZ HAD.
HE HAD TO GO TO THE UFC
BECAUSE THE MINOR LEAGUES, IF YOU WILL,
JUST DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY THAT WOULD COMPETE WITH HIM.
HE JUST NEEDED A CHANCE, AND THIS IS HIS CHANCE RIGHT HERE.
THERE'S MANY THINGS I LOVE ABOUT THIS SPORT,
BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS I LOVE IS OPPORTUNITY.
PATRICK CUMMINS WOKE UP THIS MORNING
AND WENT TO HIS JOB AT A COFFEE SHOP.
HE IS GOING TO END HIS DAY LIVE ON FOX SPORTS 1
AND DOING MEDIA AROUND THE WORLD.
AND NEXT SATURDAY NIGHT,
HE WILL FIGHT ON THE BIGGEST STAGE IN THE WORLD.
Woman: WELCOME, EVERYBODY, TO ANOTHER EDITION
OF "UFC FIGHTING WORDS."
PATRICK CUMMINS, EVERYBODY. WELCOME.
WE'VE SEEN FIGHTS BEFORE THAT WE THOUGHT WERE "ROCKY" STORIES.
THIS IS THE REAL "ROCKY" STORY.
I HEAR ABOUT THIS KID, WHO CLAIMS THAT,
WHEN HE WOULD TRAIN WITH CORMIER,
HE WOULD MAKE CORMIER CRY
AND BROKE HIM EVERY TIME THEY WRESTLED.
IS THERE A TRUTH TO YOU MAKING HIM CRY?
YEAH. ABSOLUTELY.
THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THAT WRESTLING ROOM
STAY IN THE WRESTLING ROOM.
SO NOT ONLY HAVE YOU CROSSED A LINE,
YOU'VE COMPLETELY PUT YOURSELF IN MY CROSS-HAIRS.
AND YOU'RE NOT PAT CUMMINS, THE NICE KID ANYMORE.
YOU'RE A GUY THAT I GOT TO GO INTO THAT OCTAGON,
AND YOU'RE GONNA SUFFER FOR YOUR WORDS.
MM-HMM. YOU DO TRULY BELIEVE YOU'RE GONNA BEAT HIM.
I KNOW ALL OF DANIEL'S WEAKNESSES.
I KNOW THAT I CAN PUSH HIM, AND HE WILL BREAK --
PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
AND THEN YOU COMPOUND, "OH, MAN.
"I GOT TO LOSE A BUNCH OF WEIGHT,
COME DOWN TO 205 FOR THE FIRST TIME."
THAT'S A LOT GOING AGAINST YOU, MAN.
YOU JUST DON'T PROD A GUY THAT HAS ADVANTAGES OVER YOU ALREADY.
NOW YOU'RE THE ENEMY.
I GOT TO BEAT YOU. I GOT TO SMASH YOU, PAT CUMMINS.
Cummins: HE'S GONNA SIT BACK IN THAT CHAIR
AT THE END OF THE ROUND AND JUST BE LIKE, "OH, NO.
WHAT HAVE I DONE?"
ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT THE FACT
THAT YOU'RE TAKING THIS FIGHT ON SUCH SHORT NOTICE?
THE BIGGEST THING I'M WORRIED ABOUT
IS WHAT PERCENTAGE OF DANIEL'S PURSE I'M GONNA GET
WHEN HE DOESN'T MAKE WEIGHT.
LET'S SAY LIKE 20%, 30%. LET'S GO FOR 30%.
PAT, IF YOU GOT 30% OF MY FIGHT PURSE,
THAT WOULD BE MORE MONEY
THAN YOU'VE EVER MADE IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.
Cormier: I EXPECT TO DOMINATE THE FIGHT,
AS I DO EVERY TIME I STEP INTO THE CAGE --
SHOW PAT CUMMINS FROM THE MOMENT THE REFEREE SAYS, "FIGHT!"
THAT, "MAN, I'M IN OVER MY HEAD."
Cummins: I'M GONNA BE IN HIS FACE FROM THE START,
PUSH THE PACE, AND LOOK FOR A FINISH THE ENTIRE TIME.
IT'LL COME JUST FROM BEING RELENTLESS,
DRAGGING HIM TO A PLACE THAT HE'S NEVER BEEN.
IT'S THE BIGGEST MISTAKE PAT CUMMINS
HAS EVER MADE IN HIS ENTIRE LIFE,
BECAUSE NOT ONLY DID HE TAKE A FIGHT WITH ME
ON 10 DAYS' NOTICE --
HE ACTUALLY PRODDED ME.
I WANT TO BEAT HIM IN EVERY FACET
OF EVERY PART OF MIXED MARTIAL ARTS.
I DON'T WANT HIM TO FEEL LIKE HE WON ANYTHING.
ON SUNDAY, WHEN HE GETS UP IN THE MORNING,
HE WAKES UP AND GOES, "MAN, THAT DUDE BEAT ME AT EVERY TURN."